Tuesday, May 25, 2010

In order to position yourself as an expert, you really should know what you're talking about.

Unfortunately, most of the people I talk to have the opposite problem. They believe that they need to do more, accomplish more, have more results, get that next degree or certification before they dare position themselves as an expert.

This isn't necessary. Really, it isn't.

If you are in a position to take money from the public for a service that you perform, then you obviously know more about it than your customers do.

Take a friend of mine as an example. She is a phenomenal wedding floral designer. When she is finished setting up a ballroom for a wedding you would have no way of knowing that she works out of her home in a converted garage that serves as her studio.

Because she is not working in a "brick and mortar" establishment on a well-traveled commercial street, she believes that she is not worthy of having the label "expert" placed on her head. And yet, when you ask her questions, which I do quite frequently because I'm NOT a floral designer, she has answers that detail things I never even thought about.

In mind, she is an expert. And she really SHOULD write a book. There are a lot of brides out there who would love to have a better idea of what they're getting into when they are planning for flowers for their wedding.

There are also people out there who would love to start a floral business out of their home, just as she is doing, and yet they don't have the slightest clue as to how to begin. If my friend were to write a book, there would be a number of people who would be able to confidently step out into the world of being an entrepreneur.

Why don't I write the book? I probably could, if I did enough research. But that still wouldn't position me as an expert because I'm NOT a floral designer, I'm a writer.

But if my friend were to sit down and either write about her life and her business, or even just talk it into a tape recorder and then get it transcribed, she would be able to write a book, positioning herself as an expert, commanding more money, and actually helping a lot of people in the world.

That's what positioning yourself as an expert does.

If you know more than your customers...you ARE an expert.

About the Author:

Kathleen Birmingham is a ghostwriter of hundreds of articles, lesson plans, newsletters, and books. Currently she is partnering with Russ Stevenson creating a system to help numerous people get their ideas out of their heads and down on paper. For more insight into her philosophies on the business of writing, visit her at:

5 comments:

i want to write childrens books about my 4 lb yorkiepoo rambo, who lives in my purse and will be six in june. i know this probably sounds crazy but he's been such an amazing little pooch and i believe kids would get a kick out of him. where do i start?

It is certainly a pleasure to hear that one's words have been helpful. I happened to come across this blog and was delighted to find my post from earlier this year listed here. Everyone is an expert, in their own field. You don't need anyone to tell you you're an expert in order to be one. If you know more about a topic than the people who are asking you questions, you're an expert. Now get out there and write!